Category Archives: DUI News

An Overland Park man has been arrested after a deadly boat crash early Saturday morning at Lake of the Ozarks killed three of his friends and injured one other.

All five adults are from Johnson County.

Hayden Frazier, 22, of Overland Park, was arrested on suspicion of boating while intoxicated related to the death of another person and serious physical injury, as well as negligent operation of a vessel.

Frazier, who was driving the boat, was held at the Camden County jail Saturday. On Sunday, jail officials said he had been released. Prosecutors in Camden County, which encompasses part of the lake area, have not said if charges will be filed.

An earlier version of this story said Frazier had been charged. He was arrested on the above charges.

The Missouri Highway patrol identified all five occupants in an incident report released Saturday evening. The three deceased are: Joseph LeMark, 23, and Daniel Lewis, 24, both of Overland Park, and Hailey Hochanadel, 21, of Olathe.

Frazier and Ashley Lamb, 21, of Olathe, were injured.

The five were in a 1991 Regal Runabout boat when it struck a rock bluff in the main channel at mile marker 47.5 in Camden County, according to the patrol’s boating incident report. At the point of collision, which was across from Simmons Point, Frazier, LeMark and Hochanadel were ejected.

“The driver (Frazier) re-entered the vessel and paddled to a dock across the channel,” the report stated. He paddled a half mile, according to Sgt. Scott White, spokesman for the patrol’s Troop F, which covers the lake.

Lewis was found inside the boat and pronounced dead at the scene. LeMark was located just after 8:30 a.m. and divers found Hochanadel at 11:15 a.m.

Lamb was airlifted to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. The patrol report described her injuries as serious. Frazier was taken to Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach with moderate injuries.

A neighbor near the crash site called the patrol around 1:45 a.m., White said.

“As to the circumstances leading up to (the crash), we just don’t know yet,” White said.

The preliminary investigation indicated that none of the people on the boat was wearing a life vest. Missouri law doesn’t require occupants to do so, only to have one readily accessible for each person on the boat.

The peak boating season at the lake begins Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day. Saturday is the first day of a week set aside to promote safe boating.

“Without a doubt this is a tragic start to National Safe Boating Week and the summer,” White said.

A search in The Star’s archives shows this may be one of the deadliest boating accidents in recent history at Lake of the Ozarks. A Lee’s Summit police officer and two Kansas City firefighters, who were later found to be legally drunk, died in a boating accident there in April 1997.

But Clifford on Friday said even when the internal probe wraps up he may hold off on a decision pending how a judge rules on whether to suspend Officer Daniel Coppola driver’s license, which he needs to do his job.

“It’s possible he could go on (disciplinary) charges Monday, and if we make a decision by Monday, we may actually move faster than these court proceedings, which is really the new way of doing things,” the chief said, referring to to the state law that now determines police discipline with Public Safety Commissioner Michael Eidens in charge. “This situation is not going to be taken lightly and I will hold him accountable.”

At the same time, Clifford said it speaks to integrity of Coppola, 23, that he called in the wreck to police after being hit by a motorist, who police say was driving without a license at the time of the crash at 4:14 a.m. Sunday at Broadway and Liberty Street in Schenectady. It’s unclear if that driver has been charged.

“He does not have a history of discipline,” said Clifford of Coppola, noting that will be among the many factors he will weigh when deciding on discipline.

Court documents indicate Coppola’s eyes were glassy, his speech was deliberate, and he smelled of alcohol. He failed standardized field sobriety tests to stand on one leg and the horizontal gaze nystagmus but passed the walk and turn test.

Copolla, who had a blood alcohol content of 0.12 percent, pleaded not guilty Thursday in City Court to two counts of driving while intoxicated. He is due back in court June 7.

In New York, the legal threshold to be charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, is 0.08 percent.

The court filings indicate that Coppola was read his Miranda rights at around 5:20 a.m. and was charged with DWI. Roughly about 20 minutes later at 5:42 a.m., he was placed under observation, as the law requires. The subsequent breath test, where his blood alcohol content came in at 0.12 percent, was given at 6:21 a.m.

Asked about the police handling of the matter, Clifford said everything was done by the book.

“The two-hour time frame doesn’t stand out as a problem and is not outside the boundary of reasonableness,” he said.

Eric Sills, an Albany-based attorney, said Friday that “with certain exceptions, the ‘two-hour rule’ provides that the police must administer a chemical ( blood or breath) test to a DWI suspect within two hours of the time of the person’s arrest.

He also stressed that that it is common for the defendant to leave the arraignment with their driver’s license.

“Although a driver’s license is technically supposed to be suspended pending prosecution at arraignment, the defendant has the right to a pre-suspension hearing, as well as the right to an adjournment to prepare for the hearing,” Sills said.

Clifford said he didn’t know but he suspects that Lt. Wesley McGhee, the supervisor on duty the night of the incident, didn’t respond but had to be called to the scene, which might also have prevented Coppola from getting the Breathlyzer test earlier.

“I don’t know if it caused a delay but it could have,” said Clifford.

As part of Thursday’s proceeding, City Court Judge Teneka Frost ruled she couldn’t suspend Coppola’s license, which normally happens when somebody is arraigned on a DWI charge, because a certified copy of the breath test was not contained in the court files.

Clifford said Friday that the department provided a copy of the breath test signed by the officer, “which is typically acceptable” and that an police officer would have had to drive to Albany to get the certified state copy.

“We provided everything that we normally provide, which has historically been accepted by the judge, but (the judge) didn’t feel it was appropriate,” said Clifford.

Court papers indicate that Coppola, 23, told the responding officer that he was driving home from Union Inn after having two beers.

Attorney Andrew Safranko, who is representing Coppola, said his client, is remorseful and has cooperated fully with authorities during the probe.

“He apologizes to the chief and the members of the department for casting a negative light on the department,” said Safranko. “He’s a young man, loves loves being a police officer, and apologizes for getting in this situation at all.”

For now, Coppola, who is 23 with two years on the force, remains on desk duty, watching prisoners and taking police reports, Clifford said.

Coppola is the stepson of Schenectady County Sheriff Dominic Dagostino.

Over the years, several police officers in Schenectady and Albany have run afoul of the law after drinking and get behind the wheel of a car, in some cases striking parked cars and other stationary objects.

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. — A Petersburg man has been arrested after police say he failed to stop during a traffic stop and threw drugs out of his car window during the subsequent police pursuit.

The incident happened Tuesday beginning with an attempted traffic stop in Colonial Heights and a police pursuit that traveled through Chesterfield, Dinwiddie and Petersburg.

A Colonial Heights police officer initiated a traffic stop for an equipment violation as well as suspected drunk driving on the driver of a 1998 Chevrolet pick-up truck in the area of Boulevard and Lakeview.

The driver, later identified as 27-year-old Timothy Charles-Nicholas Gray, failed to stop for the officer and a vehicle pursuit ensued, according to police.

Timothy Charles-Nicholas Gray

Police say Gray, who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, led officers into Chesterfield County, where Chesterfield Police joined the pursuit.

While traveling through the Ettrick area, police say Gray threw several bags of suspected narcotics out of the window.

The pursuit also traveled through Dinwiddie County and then into the City of Petersburg, where the pursuit ended after the suspect crashed into another vehicle in the 1900 Block of West Washington Street.

Gray and two occupants from the victim vehicle were transported to Southside Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

Charges pending for Gray include, Felony eluding, driving on a suspended license, defective equipment, Driving under the influence, possession of marijuana and possession of cocaine.

Police say he may also be charged with crimes in Chesterfield and Petersburg related to the incident.

Gray with be transported to Riverside Regional Jail once released from the hospital.

A 52-year-old man is accused of endangering the life of his 20-month-old granddaughter by driving “super drunk” with the toddler in the back seat of his car.

Shortly after 8 p.m. May 3, Wyandotte police spotted the man in the area of Fort Street and Goddard, as he failed to signal a right turn and then was paced traveling at speeds in excess of 35 mph in a marked 25 mph zone.

Police stopped the driver near the Burger King restaurant on Fort Street in Lincoln Park.

The officer noted that the man’s eyes were bloodshot and glossy, and the odor of intoxicants emitted from his breath.

A toddler was in a car seat, in the rear of the vehicle behind the front passenger seat. The man said the child was his 20-month-old granddaughter.

In response to the officer’s question, the man said “I haven’t drank today.”

According to information provided by the Law Enforcement Information Network and Michigan Secretary of State, the man had one prior conviction for operating while intoxicated and had a few active warrants.

The officer told the man to get out of the car. He again asked him if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages.

“I had one earlier, but it was about 2 o’clock when I stopped drinking,” the man said. However, he later changed his story to say he had two drinks, then a few minutes later admitted to having three drinks.

Two additional officers arrived at the scene to offer their assistance.

In one of the field sobriety tests, police asked the man to recite the alphabet, starting with the letter “C” and ending at “M.” He started at “A” and ended at “Z,” then sang “Now I know my A, Z, M’s.”

After failing additional field sobriety tests, a preliminary breath test indicated his blood-alcohol content was 0.26.

A West Virginia woman picked the wrong person to ask for directions last month in Virginia.

Lisa M. Polk, 56, of Capon Bridge, West Virginia was driving near Round Hill, Virginia on March 22 when she stopped to ask for directions from a Loudon County Sheriff’s deputy, their office said in a Tuesday release.

The deputy determined Polk was possibly under the influence of alcohol, and an open container of alcohol was found in her vehicle, the sheriff’s office said. A search led the deputy to find suitcases filled with around six pounds of marijuana, 200 grams of THC oil, more than $1,500 in cash, as well as rolling papers and other paraphernalia, according to the sheriff

Polk was charged with public intoxication and felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. She was released on bond.

Mac Miller has allegedly been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The 26-year-old rapper is believed to have been drinking before he got behind the wheel of his 2016 G-Wagon, which he allegedly crashed into a power pole in the San Fernando Valley at around 1am on Thursday (17.05.18).

According to TMZ, Mac – whose real name is Malcolm James McCormick – and two passengers who were in the car at the time allegedly fled the scene on foot.

It has been claimed that an eyewitness called police and told them which direction the group had gone, and when cops arrived on the scene, they ran the plates on the vehicle at retrieved Mac’s address.

The publication reports that when police arrived at the home of the ‘My Favorite Part’ rapper, he allegedly “confessed to driving drunk and fleeing the scene.”

A law enforcement source is quoted by TMZ as saying: “He was the most polite and nice intoxicated person we’ve ever seen.”

Mac was allegedly taken to jail, where his bail was believed to be $15,000, and was released from the facility later on Thursday.

The alleged incident comes after the rapper recently split with his girlfriend of two years Ariana Grande, who took to Instagram earlier this month to voice her “endless support” for her former beau.

Posting a picture of the pair on her Instagram story last week, the 24-year-old singer wrote: “Hi! This is one of my best friends in the whole world and favorite people on the planet Malcolm McCormick. I respect and adore him endlessly and am grateful to have him in my life in any form, at all times regardless of how our relationship changes or what the universe holds for each of us! (sic)

“Unconditional love is not selfish. It is wanting the best for that person even if at the moment, it’s not you. I can’t wait to know and support you forever and I’m so proud of you!! (sic)”

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — Springfield Police pulled over a taxi driver who they say was under the influence of marijuana early Monday morning.

Police say 61-year-old John Jelley of Eugene was driving the taxi on Mohawk Boulevard without headlights or tail lights on with a customer in the car.

Springfield Police say the taxi was taking the customer from the Sweet Illusions Strip Club when the officer stopped the vehicle.

Police say the driver showed signs of impairment when speaking to the officer.

“The officer contacted the driver and subsequent investigation determined that the driver was driving on intoxicants, specifically marijuana,” said Sgt. Brian Humphreys.

According to police, there was a distinct smell of burnt marijuana in the taxi.

In a search of the vehicle, police say they found marijuana paraphernalia.

Jelley was arrested and sent to the Springfield municipal jail.

Police stress to drivers that operating a vehicle under the influence of marijuana is dangerous. They say don’t get into a car with someone you think may be impaired.

“Driving is a divided attention task and when you start to impair that it makes the task dangerous,” said Sgt. Humphreys. “So a lot of the things that officers look for, with impaired driving can stem from the use of narcotics, and stem from the use of marijuana–prescription drugs there is a lot of things, that can impair our ability to drive safely above and beyond just the use of alcohol.”

According to police, Jelley called another taxi driver to take the customer home.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis mother is accused of driving under the influence, crashing her vehicle and then trying to push her damaged car away from the scene with the help of her two children.

The incident happened on Mays Glade Drive late Saturday night, according to WREG.

The mother, Krysten Scott, told authorities she was heading westbound when a sedan hit her car, according to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Despite the significant damage to her vehicle, the Scott reportedly tried to drive away. When that didn’t work, witnesses said she jumped out of the vehicle and started pushing it home with the help of her children.

When one witness asked her what she was doing, according to WREG, she simply replied, “Can you help us push my car to my house?”

By the time authorities arrived on the scene, both children had walked home. Scott followed as police were taking witness statements, authorities said.

When investigators arrived at her door, she refused to answer. Several minutes later, she walked out of the house to make a call and was promptly put in handcuffs, according to the sheriff’s office. The arrest report noted Scott resisted officers and then “tested poorly” on the field sobriety test, despite her insistence she wasn’t drunk.

Scott was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, child abuse/neglect, resisting official detention and leaving the scene of an accident involving injury.

Navarrete was driving home after working a Friday night shift around at Zocalo’s University Village location around 12:30 a.m. when he was hit at the intersection of El Camino Avenue and Evergreen Street.

The driver who allegedly hit Navarrete is 38-year-old Xoury Soukouang. He has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and is currently booked at the Sacramento County Jail on $350,000 jail.

Navarrete’s friends and co-workers remember their friend as a hard-working, loving person with the most infectious smile.

“He was the light of everyone’s life. He literally lit up the bar,” Jewel Carbone, who manages Zocalo-UV, said.

Nestor Jimenez, who worked with Navarrete for more than six years, said he had the best smile “hands down.”

“Best smile of all three Zocalos,” he said. “No one competes with that.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for Navarrete’s funeral expenses.

In addition, Zocalo has created a cocktail in his honor called “La Sonrisa,” which means “the smile” in Spanish. It will be sold at all three Zocalo locations this week. Proceeds will go to Navarrete’s family.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The state police have charged two motorists with driving under the influence after two separate wrong-way crashes within hours of each other on Saturday night and Sunday morning. No one was seriously injured in the crashes.

The first crash was reported at 7:20 p.m. Saturday on Route 4 in East Greenwich, after a driver going north in the high-speed southbound lane crashed into a car going south.

Corey Stott Miller, 28, of 276 Weeden St., Pawtucket — the driver going in the wrong direction, according to the state police — was charged with driving under the influence, first offense; driving to endanger, resulting in physical injury; and refusal to submit to a chemical test.

Miller was treated at Kent County Hospital for minor injuries while the driver and a passenger in the car struck by Miller’s vehicle were treated at South County Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and released.

The second crash was reported at 2 a.m. Sunday when the state police received numerous 911 calls for a wrong-way driver going south in the northbound lanes of Route 95. The driver sideswiped a car as it crossed into Warwick and then crashed near Jefferson Boulevard, the state police said.

The driver, Cameron Wambolt, 25, of 306 Washington St., West Warwick, was charged with driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 or greater and driving to endanger, resulting in physical injury.

Wambolt was not injured in the crash, but two people in the car hit by Wambolt’s vehicle were treated at Rhode Island Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and released.

In a third, unrelated incident, Tommy Price, 43, of 110B Columbia Heights Rd., Charlestown, was stopped by state police on Route 95 in Warwick Saturday night and charged with driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a chemical test.

“There is simply no excuse for anyone to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” state police superintendent Col. Ann C. Assumpico said in a statement. “We have zero tolerance for people who drive while impaired or those who operate their vehicles in a dangerous manner that endangers the lives of others.”